Sigurdr "Snake-in-the-eye" of Sjaelland (822-888) was the king of Sjaelland from 865 to 888, succeeding Ragnarr Lodbrok and preceding Harthacnut I of Denmark.
Biography[]
Sigurd was the son of Ragnarr Lodbrok and Aslaug, and he was born with a mark on his left eye that resembled a snake biting its own tail - hence his nickname "Snake-in-the-eye". When King Aella of Northumbria executed his father by throwing him in a pit of snakes in 865, a dying Ragnarr exclaimed "how the piglets would squeal if they knew what the old boar suffers!". Aella sent an envoy to inform Sigurd and his brothers Halfdan Whiteshirt of Jorvik, Bjorn Ironside of Svibjod, Ubbe Ragnarrsson, and Ivar the Boneless of Sudreyjar of their father's execution, they decided to follow the honored Viking tradition of killing Aella in time. In 866 the brothers crossed the North Sea with an army of around 25,000 troops and captured York from Northumbria, and proceeded to level scores of Anglo-Saxon castles, cities, and towns. When they captured King Aella, they subjected him to the "Blood Eagle" painful execution. Sigurdr would assist in the raids on England, and his son would unite Denmark to become "Harthacnut I of Denmark", the first king of Denmark. Sigurdr died during strife in Denmark.
Gallery[]
